Oil-burner.



PATENTED MAR. 26, 1907.

A. J. BLAGKFORD.

OIL BURNER.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.23, 1897.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED MAR. .26, 1907. GKFORD.

OIL BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1897.

A. J. BLA

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

ATWELL J. BLAOKFORD, OF CLEVELAND OHIO, ASSIGN OR TO AMERICAN STOVE COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION.

OIL-BURNER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 26, 1907.

A li ati filed August 23, 1897. Serial No. 649,211.

useful Improvements in Oil-Burners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in oil-burners, and pertains to that type which produce a blue flame, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and particularly referred to in the-claims.

Heretofore blue flame oilburners have been produced in which the oil has been conveyed to the point of vaporization in various ways, one way being by capillary attraction,

as in the common wick-burner. In this in-- stance the oil-has been vaporized either directly from the wick or partly from a wick and an adjacent cup or channel or channels into which the oil is conveyed by capillary action from'the wick. The use of a wick is objectionable fqr several practical reasons well known to those skilled. in the art, chiefly among which .are the .trimming of the wick and keeping it straight to produce an even flame at thetop of the combustion-tubes used in such burners, the cost of production, the difficulty of holding the flame at a uniform height when the burner becomes hot, and the necessity of lifting and holding the combustion-tubes away from the wick-tube when not in-use.'-

Another method effects the distribution of the vapors within a vapor holder or trough by the well-known superior density of gravity of hydrocarbon vapors as compared with air. In this instance the oil is vaporized at one point in the holder and distributed throughout Fthe holder by the action of gravity or may be generated at a distant point and fed to and distributed throughout the vapor-holder by the action of gravity.

My invention differs radically from this last-namedmethod in that I maintain a constant suppl of oil throughout all parts of the oil-trough uring the entireoperation ofthe burner'g as does the wick in the common wickburner, and thc'vapors generated from the oil by contact with the heated trough pass upward directly from the point of vaporization'and are oxygenated and distributed exactly as in the common blue-flame wickburners. I

The primary object of my present invention is.to produce a burner having practically the same action-in generating and distribut- 1 ing the vapors as the old and common blueflame wick-burners, but so constructed as to overcome the disadvantages heretofore pointed out in that form of burner, for I find that the best results are obtained by that form of burner which keeps aconstant and continual supply of oil throughout all parts of the bottom of the vaporization-chamber as does the wick.

g The preferred form of trough here shown for carrying out the invention is V-s'haped in cross-section, the apex of the V serving to provide a small oil-channel, and thus enable a-small supply or feed to keep a constant supply of oil throughout all parts of the channel of the trough, the oil being vaporized by contact with the heated trough and passed upward between the combustion-tubes to be oxygenated and distributed exactly as in the wick-burner now in common use. While I here show a V-shape trough, this exact cross sectional form of the trough is not necessary and may be varied so far as the generic invention hereinclaimed is concerned. Also the trough instead of being annular and adapted for the Argand type of burner here shown may be made straight for the flat-wick form of burner without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

For the purpose of lighting and starting 1 the burner a thin vertical wick, preferably of wire gauze, is placed in and rests directly .upon the bottom of the apex of the V-shaped trough, and this serves to takeup the oil by capillary action as it flows around the a ex of the trough and enables it to be rea ily lighted with a match.

Heretofore .an'asbestos string has been placed on the bottom of a flat-bottomedtrough; but this is difficult to get at to light and causes a vaporization of the oil on the flat surface at the sides thereof before the burner is sufliciently heatedto properly take care of and consume it,'which causes a bad odor, and also several wires have been used on an elevated shelf within the trough to facilitate the distributing of the oil by capillary action and without absorbing any of it, as does the asbestos string; but this latter has been found to cause a bad odor, as air is permitted to circulate below it and make a smoky flame. In my burner neither of these constructions or methods is used. I place a thin web upon its edge within the oil containing portion of the trough, such as a fine wire-gauz e, and a thin vertical wick is thus provided, which takes up the oil vertically from the oil-supply groove the same as a wick, and it stands sufliciently high to be readily lighted. The wick retards, ofcourse, to some extent the running of the oil in the apex of the V-shaped trough or the groove, as the case may be, by forming an obstruction thereto and also by takingup a part of the oil by a vertical capillary action. However, when the hydrocarbon oils are used, such as kerosene, an initial lighting deviceis necessary. When the burner is in operation, the wick also to some extent serves to facilitate the' vaporization of the oil owing to the fact that it is seated in the oil-containing groove or apex and takes up a part of the oil contained therein by capillary action and holds it suspended in a vertical web. It will also be noted that the wick restsdirectly u on the bottom of the groove and no air is admitted beneath it to permit combustion in starting, and it is found that in this arrangement the oil exposed to the flame of the wick does not cause more vaporization than is properly oxygenated and consumed in the starting of the burner,an d there is a space at each side of the wick for vaporization bythe walls and a free upwardp'assage of the enerated vapor, both of which are essentia -to a properly-operatin burner; I also find that where the oil is fed to "the trough through an ordinary pipe, as heretofore, the flame is sometimes higher at the point of supply, and so much so as to'makea very undesirable and unsatisfactory burner. I prevent this result by widening out the lower end of the supply-pipe to provide a large or wide delivery of t e oil to the trough, which effects in practice an even distribution of the oil and an even flame.

In a burner of this character it is desirable to provide against any disturbance of the vapors generated, and this I provide for by means of an inclosing air-reservoir at the lower end of the burner, into which a limited quantity of air is admitted, and the burner fed therefrom, and an inclosing drum for the burner-section, which I find materially adds to the production of a steady and even flame .and enables me to dispense with the usual multiplicity of diaphragms within the inner or central combustion-tube.

In my present construction I use only one check to the upward flow of the air within the central air-tube, and this is placed within the upper portion, but below the upper end thereof, and is so constructed as to provide a distinct central flame independent of the annular flame issuing from between the upper ends of the combustion-tubes. To aid in the best results, I use in conjunction with this diaphragm or check an air-tube which takes air from without the combustion-section and delivers fresh air below the top and adjacent or at the escape-openings in the diaphragm.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view taken longitudinally throughout the supply-tube and valve, the burner being shown in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a detached perspective view of the oil-trough looking *from the top thereof and the communicating end of the supply-tube. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the thimble-shaped deflector or diaphragm within the inner tube. Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the wick. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a oneburner stove embodying my invention. Fig. 6 is an inverted view of the cup-shaped inclosing shell. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the wick. Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of one of the caps 12.

Ais the frame of a stove to which my invention is shown applied and which may be of the form here shown or any other desired. This frame is provided with a cross piece or bar B, which assists in supporting the air well or shell C of the lower portion of the burner.

' D is thereservoir, supported at any desired point in an elevated position, and has a pipe E communicating with the bottom thereof, and which also communicates with the upper end of the pipe G, that extends downward from the front of the frame and communicat es- With the oil-trough H.

At the intersection of the pipes E and G or v at any other convenient point is an ordinary needle-valve G, by means of which the flow is either cut off entirely from the trough or turned on, as may be desired. However, to prevent the operator turning on too large a flow of oil the valve-stem a is provided with a pivoted spring-actuated finger 1), adapted to engage'a step c on the valve-stem socket, and thisis so set that the proper amount of oil will be fed when in engagement with the stop to produce the best results.

The trough here shown is V-shaped in crosssection to provide an oil-containing gropve e by its apex, into which the oil flows, and is constantly kept supplied with oil while the burner is in operation. The cross-sectional shape of the trough, however, maybe varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my generic invention, though a contracted or shape is preferredi Placed loosely within this trough and resting upon the bottom .of the said apex or groove is a strip of wireegauze (1, formed to correspond to the shape of the trough and standing upon its TKO edge. The function of this strip of gauze is to act as a wick for lighting the burner and to also assist in the vaporization of the oil after the burner is in full operation by taking up a part of the oil from the oil-containing portion of the trough. The outer wall of the trough is preferably provided with a shallow-flange f and a lateral shoulder g, forming a seat for the outer combustion-tube of the combustionchamber", to be fully described hereinafter.

Especial attention is called to the horizontal enlargement of the lower, end of the supply-tube G where it communicates with the trough, whereby an evendistribution of the oil fed in the trough is effected and a high burning of the flame at the end of the supplytube prevented. This trough is provided with the arms or spiders I, connectedto the upper end of the central vertical tube J ,which passes down through and is preferably secured to the shell 0, which supports it at its lower end. Thetube is providediat its'lower end with a vertical slot h, having at its upper end an offset 1', and surrounding the lower end of the tube is asleeve K, having a handle L and a pin'j extending into theslot of thetube J. This construction isi'ilse'd. to elevate the combustion-section from the vaporizing-section for the purpose of lighting the wick.

The shell C, which surrounds the trough, is

.made considerably larger and serves to provide an air-well into which air is admitted through the openings'l, formed in the bottom of the shell, and is'distributed or fed from Q5 tral portion n of the diaphragm M, as shown, under it to said openings from a point outthis reservoirto the burner. This construction serves to prevent any disturbance of the vapors within the combustion-chamber and trough and materially aids in producing an even and steady flame at the top of the combustion-tubes.

The combustion-sectionconsists of the two concentric perforated tubes A and B, which are of the ordinary form, and the lower ends thereof are seated within the upper end of the oil-containing trough when the burner is in operation. T e outer tube is provided with small perforations throughout its length, and the inner tube is provided with small perforations throughout a portion only of its length. A diaphragm M is situatedwithin this inner tube at a point above these small perforations and consists of an annular horizontal ings, and the inner tube is preferably imperforate from the horizontal portion of the diaphragm m to the said passages s, These passages s are formed at a point opposite the top of the central portion at, sothat the inner tube extends slightly above the said vertical cenmix with the and the outer combustion-tube has its upper end below both the inner tube and the said central extension n of the diaphragm. It

will be noted that this shape of diaphragm phragm, and air passing through the perforations r of the cap supports combustion, and a distinct and separate annular blue flame is produced, which is very effective in heating the center of the vessel thereabove. The airpassages are very effective in causing a tumbling and mixing of the gases and air at the upper end of'the combustion-tubes as they are drawn inward and over bv the tendency to vacuum caused by the Well before mentioned. The central flame is produced on ac count of the passages s at the upper end of the inner tube being about oppos te the upper end or top of the central extension n of the diaphragm M, though practically the same result will be effected in a less degree 'minated at this point to permit, a passage should the upper end of the inner tube be ter=' thereover of some of the gases. I prefer to form the perforations r near the edge of the cap, as shown, and in a circular series, so that air is fed more effectively to all parts of the gases passing over the top of the diaphragm and a circular central flame produced. The

function of this diaphragm is to confine air below it within the inner tube, and thus force most of it through the inner-tube into the "combustion and mixing space between the two tubes, while a small portion passes through the cap to feed the flame thereabove and also to provide a well within the upper end of the inner tube, These openings in the cap can, however, be varied in size, number, and location without departing essentially from the spirit and scope of m invention, and to this feature per se I ma e no claim, it being'very old in the art to provide a diaphragm with openings in the inner tube,

whereby the upward flow of air is impeded and part permitted to pass therethrough to gases above, as'shown in the Morrill patent, Number 44,548, October 4,

1864, the essential feature of this (part of my invention bein the shape of the aphragm, as before set .orth, whereby a well is pro duced between the inner tube and the exten sion pf the diaphragm to cause a tendency to vacuum at the upper end of the inner tube,

the diaphragm extension, by delivering air extension at and to the openings r-made therein. .This construction, as will be readily conceived, enables me to deliver fresh unvitiated air .to the openings in the cap and to the gases passing over and adjacent to said openings,

whereby an improved separate flame is produced.

Another feature of my present invention pertains to providing a drum P surrounding the outercombustion-tube and secured to the combustion-section to be raised thereby. This drum P has its lower end preferably tapered, as shown at t, tobetter cooperate with and pass within the upper end of the cup-shaped shell or reservoir C, surrounding the oiltrough, whichkeeps away the draft and prevents a disturbance of the ases as they rise between the combustion-tubes and also serves to direct and confine the air and to cause it to be forced through the outer combustion-tube into the mixing'and combust ion chamber between the two tubes. This action is greatly increased by providing the upper edge with an inwardly-extending portion D 'to furnish a restricted escape for the air. It also serves an additional function v in causing an inward draft at the v passage 'of the gases over or through t e inner end of the" inner tube.

oint of Y and outwardly projecting bends or beads Q.

These are situated, preferably, just-above the oiltrough and serve to retardi the upward passage of the vapors, and thus "cause a better and more thorough mixture of the vapors and air for effecting a more perfect combustion, and especially when the burner is being started and before it has become thoroughly heated. They form pockets, so to speak, into which the vapors spread and are held or retarded, so that there is a more thorough oxygenation thereof. However, this construction may be omitted without affecting the operation of the other features of my burner. It will also be readily conceived that this construction of the tubes will serve the same advantageous function in conjunction with any form of blue-flame burner when a full and even flame at the using perforated tubes, and I do not, therefore, limit myself to its use solely in connection with the form of burner here shown.

The combustion-tubes, drum P, and tube J are secured together and in place by means of wires as, passing therethrough at right angles, as shown. The ends of these wires extend slightly through the drum 1? and are held against endwise displacement by means of the caps I), which are somewhat similar to paper-fastenmgs, having arms 0, passing through the drum and turned around against it and forming pockets for the ends of the wires. Thetube J is secured to the lower end of the inner combustion-tube B by means of the arms M. This furnishes a very simple, cheap, and efficient means for holding the wires in place and also enables the com two-thirds open and theoil permitted to flow a few secon s until the entire apex or groove is supplied and the wick started, when the wick is fired with a match, referably all the way around, the same as t e common wickburners. The combustion-section is then dropped down. The valve may thenbe turned on full or the burner left a few minutes until heated and then turned on full, u per ends of the combustion-tubes and an independent central blueflame will be the result.

In a burner of this construction there is no difficulty in maintaining a flame and holding it at a predetermined height and which will not be affected by the heating of the burner, as in a wick, and the flame is readily under control through the manipulation of the valve in regulating the supply of oil to the apex of-the oil-trough. A trough with a small contracted Y oil-groove is admirably adapted to handle either a small'fiow of Oll' for a low flame or a lar er flow for a full flame in that a small flow wiIl cover all parts of the groove, and when a larger flow is fed there is an increased vaporizing-surface to take care of -the increased flow.

I do not make any clainrin this application broadly to a central lifting extension, nor broadly to a supporting means situated at the lower end thereof, nor broadly to a central air-tube which forms a lifting element, for these are claimed in my application pending concurrently herewith.

In Fig. 8 I show the wick in section and from which it will be'seen that the wire-gauze from which the wick is formed is doubled and preferably incloses a very small quantity of asbestos fiber or other refractory material e in the form of a very thin vertical web. The

andle' object of this is to facilitate the capillary action of the wick and also its lighting.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an oil-burner, the combination with an oil-holding trough, the lower part of the trough being adapted to contain a body or colu'mn of oil when in normal operation, and the upper part forming a vaporizing-chamber to vaporize the oil from its free surface and'means located in the trough for igniting or starting the vaporizing of the oil, of perforated combustion-tubes forming an uninterrupted continuation of the vapor-chamber and ada ted to cause the vapors arising from the su ace of the oil to burn with a blue flame by admixture with the air.

2. In a burner, the combination with a trough and erforated tubes situated thereabove and 'orming a combustion-chamber, said trough having at its bottom a liquidcontaining portion, and an upper va or-receiving space, and a vertically-dispose light ing member seated in the liquid-containing portion and extending upward between the walls of the vapor-receiving portion to form a gapor-space at the-side of the lighting mem- 3. In an oil-burner, the combination with an oil-holding trough having a contracted lower part and an enlarged upper part, the lower part of the trough being adapted to contain a body or column of oilwhen in normal operation and the upper part forming a vaporization-chamber to vaporize the oil from its free surface and means located in the trough for igniting or starting the vaporizingof the oil, of perforated combustiontubes forming an uninterrupted continuation of the vapor-chamber and ada ted to cause the vapors arising from the su ace of theoil to burn with a blueflame by admixture with the air.

4. In a burner the combination with a 'troughand erforated tubes situated thereabove and orming a combustion-chamber, said trough having at its bottoma liquidcontaining portion, and an enlarged uppler vapor-receiving space, and a vertically- "sposed lighting member seated in the l quidcontaining portion and extending upward between the walls of the enlarged vapor-receiving portionto form a vapor-space at the side of t e lighti member. i f

5. In a burner t e combination of a trough and perforated tubes situated thereabove and forming a combustion-chamber, a lighting member vertically disposed between the upwardly-disposed walls of the trough, said trough having a contracted lower portion in which the lighting member is seated, and a vapor-space above the contracted portion at the side of the vertically-disposed 'lighting member.

6. In a burner, the combination of a trough and perforated tubes situated thereabove and forming a combustion-chamber, said trough being contracted at its lower portion, and a vertically-disposed lighting member seated in said contracted portion and extending upward between the upwardly-disposed walls and constituting a vapor-space in the upperportion of the trough at the side of the said lighting member.

7. In a burner the combination of a trough and perforated tubes situated thereabove and forming a combustion-chamber, saidtrough being contracted at its lower portion and being provided with a wick seated in the contractedportion of the trough and extend ing upwardly between and distant from its upwardly-disposed walls.

8. An oil-burner comprising a trough having a contracted oil-groove, and an oil-supply pipe having an enlarged supply end com municating directly with the contracted oilgroove.

9. An oil-burner comprising avaporizingsection, a depending guidewa an independently vertically movable com ustion-section having a depending lifting extension engaging said guideway, and a vertically-movable lifting member carried by said guideway and adapted to engage the lifting extension.

10. An oil-burner, comprising a vaporizingsection, a depending guideway, an independ ently vertically movable combustion-section -trough, a vertically-movable combustionsection to permit access to the trough for lighting purposes, a cup-shaped shell inclosing the trough and extending below it and provided'with a restricted air-opening, a

drum inclosing the combustion-section and movable therewith, the upper end of the cupshaped shell extending considerably above the said trough for the purpose of protecting theinitial flame when lighting.

12. A combustion-section comprising concentric perforated combustion-tubes, a hat-.

shaped diaphragm situated within the inner tube with its lower end engaging the tube below its upper end, the extension of the diaphragm having a top provided with an airpassage to feed oxygen to the gases and flame above.

13. A combustion-section comprising concentric perforated combustion-tubes, a hatshaped diaphragm. situated within the inner tube with its lower end engaging the inner tube below its upper end, the top of the ex-.

tension having air-openings and the upper end of the inner tube constructed to permit an inward passage of the vapors over said extension-openings for the purpose described.

14. A combustion-section comprising concentric perforated combustion-tubes, an airdeflector or diaphragm situated within the inner tube and provided with an upward extension, the lower end engaging the inner tube below its upper end, the top of the extension of the deflector having air-passages, and the inner tube having air-passages about opposite the top of thediaphragm to deliver the gases over the said openings'in the top of the diaphragm.

15. A combustion-section comprising concentric perforated combustion-tubes, a diaphragm situated within the upper portion of the inner tube below its upper end and having air-passages, the inner tube constructed to deliver some of the gases over said passages, and an'inclosing drum for the outer combustiontube open to the atmosphere at its lower end and having an inwardly-extendi ng flange at its upperend to deflect the gases inward for the purpose described.

16. A combustion-section comprising concentric combustion-tubes, a diaphragm having an upwardly-extending central portion and'situated within the inner tube with its lower end engaging. the tube below its upper end to form a well, the central portion of the diaphragm extending upward to near the top of the inner tube and provided witha plurality of small openings, whereby the.

esca ing gases are drawn inward and supplied with oxygen.

17. A combustion-section comprising concentric combustion-tubes, a diaphragm situated within,closing the upper end of and hav ing communication with the inner tube, and provided with an air escape or escapes, and

an air-pipe delivering air against the under 7 side of thediaphragm.

18. A combustion-section comprising concentric co'mbustion-tubes, a hat-shaped diaphragm situated within and spanning the upper end of the inner'tube and having an air-passage, a pipe having its upper end within the inner tube and adapted to deliver air within the crown of the said diaphragm, and its opposite end receiving fresh air from Without .the combustion-section.

its upper end and closing the same, the crown of the diaphragm having an air-passage, a centrally-disposed air-pipe having its upper end extending within the crown of the said diaphragm and its lower end receiving air from the lower portion of the burner.

20. Acombustion-section comprising con centric perforated combustion-tubes, a hat shaped diaphragm situated within the upper end of the inner tube and closing the same, the crown of the diaphragm having an air passage or passages, an air-pipe situated within the inner combustion-tube and delivering air within the crown ofthe diaphragm, the inner combustion-tube having openings at a point adjacent the top of the crown of the diaphragm, whereby air is delivered to the openings 1n thecrown of the diaphragm and passes over the crown through the openings of the inner tube.

'21. The combination of the combustiontubes and inclosing drum provided with registering horizontal openings, of transverse rods passing through said openings in the tubes and drum and projecting beyond the latter, and sockets inclosing the projecting ends of the rod, said sockets having arms attaching them to the drum.

22. A burner comprising a V-shaped trough having. its apex forming a contracted oil-groove, and a supply-pipe having its supply end enlarged horizontally and communieating directly with the apex thereof, substantially as described.

23. In a burner, the combination of a trough and erforated tubes situated thereabove and orming a combustion-chamber, said trough being V-shaped in cross-section. a contracted liquid-containing portion constituting the apex thereof, and a wick seated in the apex of said trough and extending upwardly between and distant from its up wardly-disposed walls.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presenceof two witnesses.

ATWELL J. BLACKFORD.

Witnesses:

RAY M. RAFE, Tnos. M. SOURBEOK. 

